Agencies had denied being in charge of probe into July killing.

Jan. 11, 2012

Written by

News-Leader

Until Wednesday, neither the Dade County Sheriff's Office nor the Missouri Highway Patrol would acknowledge the responsibility.

It's been more than three months since Clayton, a 30-year-old war veteran and resident of Springfield, was found dead in his hometown of Lockwood.

Dade County Sheriff Steve Stapp was first on the scene. He said Clayton was found unconscious, his shirt covered in blood and numerous injuries to his head and face.

Two weeks later, staff at the sheriff's office said the investigation had been handed over to the Highway Patrol.

On Tuesday, Stapp told the News-Leader:

"Highway Patrol -- everything has been turned over to them... So anyway, they are doing the investigation on it... If you want any further updates or releases, you'll have to contact Highway Patrol."

Also on Tuesday, the Highway Patrol insisted it was only assisting in the probe.

Sgt. Jason Pace said:

"We are assisting Dade County since they are the lead... Any information about that case is going to have to come from the sheriff, since he is the lead on that investigation."

Pace said, generally, the patrol assists at the request of the investigating agency. He said any information or evidence the Highway Patrol finds would be handed over to the sheriff's department.

Details elusive

The details surrounding Clayton's death are difficult to come by.

An incident report, written by Stapp and dated July 15, stated a 911 call was made about noon from 505 Spruce Street in Lockwood.

The caller, identified as Jason Kimmons, told authorities that Clayton was drunk, that he had provoked kids and head-butted Kimmons' nephew before passing out on the floor. The nephew's age was not clear.

When Stapp arrived, he found Clayton propped up in a chair in a second-story bedroom. He was out cold but breathing.

Clayton was rushed to Cox South hospital in Springfield and placed on life support. It was a Friday.

By Sunday, Clayton was dead.

"It was the most horrible two days I've ever spent in my life," said Philip Clayton, Chad Clayton's father.

Philip Clayton said his son's jaw was broken, his head was crushed and his eyes were swollen shut.

When doctors said Chad Clayton would never wake up from a deep coma, the family decided to pull the plug.

"He hung on for another 14 hours," Philip Clayton said.

In the weeks and months following, Philip Clayton spoke with investigators -- both Stapp and Highway Patrol -- about his son's death.

Dade County Coroner Gary Banta ruled it a homicide. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck.

Philip Clayton said he has tried to be patient while he waited for someone to be arrested, but today he is frustrated.

"It's really a mess," Clayton said.

"Here it is three months later and nothing has been done. Something is not right here. "

Philip Clayton said over the last three months, he has been in contact with both agencies regarding the investigation, but he fears his son's death is falling through the cracks.

"That's the problem I ran into," he said.

"I'm getting two different stories."

Technical error

Lt. George Knowles of the Highway Patrol said the agency did not officially take the lead in the investigation until midweek. That decision came after multiple inquiries by the News-Leader trying to determine which agency had ultimate responsibility for the case.

Knowles assured that the mixup was essentially a technical error.

"It wasn't that nobody was investigating it," he said.

Knowles said he recalled that the sheriff asked for assistance in the investigation soon after Chad Clayton was killed.

"I don't know when he asked for the case to be taken over," Knowles said.